It's A Power Thing

I like all kind of bikes. I have three bicyles and will be getting a fourth towards the year end (hopefully). I use them all for different reasons. I even have a full motorbike licence (but don't use it for reasons of marital harmony).

My main bike is a Santos Travelmaster used for commuting and touring - very practical and sturdy. Last year I picked up a secondhand Marin Rocky Ridge which I use to tear around local trails and for towing the Golden Child on her tagalong - great off road fun. I also have an old Marin Bear Valley which was the bike that got me back into cycling in 2008 (it had sat in a garage for many years gathering dust). It's old but capable. I use it as a hack bike and for this very reason I will be distressing the frame a little bit more and fitting an old crappy saddle on it soon - great for leaving around town town for a few hours when I don't want to risk anything that looks remotely valuable. I will be getting a carbon fibre road bike which will be my bike equivalent of a middle age crisis sports car. It will only come out when the weather is nice and I want to cover some great road miles with no luggage - fun but totally impractical. I even aspire to owning a Brompton, not because I have any need of one at all but simply because I believe they are elegant and iconic bits of kit. I would also not turn my nose up at a Bullitt cargo-bike.

So, you see, I don't think I have become a tribal cyclist. I like to see people cycling on what ever takes thier fancy. I therefore have absolutely nothing at all against e-bikes. When I'm old and grey and petrol is £10.00 per litre I might even get one for myself...that should be in two or three years then! I just wonder though - when does a bicycle actually become a moped?

Manchester Cargo Bike Again

Came across the Manchester Cargo Bike again yesterday. I was on my way to work and the cyclist + passengers were waiting at red traffic lights so the resulting chat was short. It transpires the bike was imported from Copenhagen and is the only one in Manchester - the only one of its type anyway as it is an...electric bike.

It was lovely to see it on the streets of Prestwich/Salford. Somehow I don't see them replacing a vast number of cars on UK roads (not without the infrastructure at least) but I think there are going to be more variations on the eBike and cargobike themes around in the future. This lady obviously found it very useful having the electric assist on the local hills with her two kids on board. She has also gone to the trouble of importing the bike and makes regular use of it around the locale. Far more environmentally friendly than using a car for local trips me thinks.

I would love to know some more details about its practicalities, cost to run and maintain, and the reactions it creates. So, Electric Bike Lady, if you are reading this I would love to have a longer chat. You can me email via my profile page. Hope to speak again.